Swing group analysis apparatus, swing group analysis method, and swing group analysis program

ABSTRACT

A swing group analysis apparatus includes a swing analysis unit which calculates an analytical value of a specific item for a swing which belong to a swing group based on an output of an inertia sensor; and an evaluation unit which evaluates the swing group by comparing a set target value and the analytical value.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a swing group analysis apparatus, a swing group analysis method, and a swing group analysis program.

2. Related Art

JP-A-11-216217 discloses a swing training machine. The swing training machine accumulates swing information (information obtained by swing operation). Swing parameters such as swing reproducibility, swing power, and a of level swing endurance are calculated based on the swing information. Based on a tendency of the swing parameters, a training method and an amount of training are notified to a user.

Examples of a method of swing analysis include a method of analyzing one swing in detail, and a method of collectively analyzing operations in which several tens or hundreds of swings are repeated, such as a training of practice swings, as a swing group. For example, JP-A-11-216217 discloses that the swing is evaluated based on a difference between a maximum value of a swing speed of the previous training and a swing speed of a current training, but does not disclose an evaluation method as a swing group.

SUMMARY

An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a swing group analysis apparatus, a swing group analysis method, and a swing group analysis program which are capable of realizing a collective analysis as a swing group.

(1) An aspect of the invention relates to a swing group analysis apparatus including a swing analysis unit which calculates an analytical value of a specific item for a swing which belong to a swing group based on an output of an inertia sensor; and an evaluation unit which evaluates the swing group by comparing a set target value and the analytical value.

A detection signal is output from the inertia sensor for each swing. The detection signal is input to the analysis unit. The analysis unit calculates the analytical value of the specific item for a swing in accordance with the input detection signal. The calculated analytical value is transferred to the evaluation unit. The evaluation unit evaluates the swing group which is an aggregate of the swing by comparing the target value and the analytical value for each swing. In this way, the entirety of swing groups is evaluated. The collective analysis is realized as the swing group.

(2) The evaluation unit may specify a ratio of the swings that have reached the target value, in the swing group. It is possible to evaluate the entirety of swing groups that reached the target value.

(3) The evaluation unit may impart a score for the swing with respect to the target value in accordance with the degree of achievement. It is possible to evaluate the swing in accordance with a degree of achievement in stages.

(4) The evaluation unit may calculate a total sum of the score which is imparted for each swing. In this way, it is possible to specifically evaluate the entirety of swing groups.

(5) The swing group analysis apparatus may further include an output unit which outputs an evaluation result of the swing group. In this way, it is possible to notify the user of the evaluation result of the swing group.

(6) The swing group analysis apparatus may further include an input unit which inputs the target value. The user can designate the target value. In addition, the user can change the in accordance with of the user' own degree of attainment.

(7) In the swing group analysis apparatus, the evaluation unit may update the target value in accordance with the evaluation of the swing group. The evaluation group changes the target value in accordance with the evaluation of the swing group without waiting designation or operation of the user. In this way, it is possible to automatically set the target value which is effective for the user.

(8) Another aspect of the invention relates to a swing group analysis method including calculating an analytical value of a specific item for a swing which belong to a swing group based on an output of an inertia sensor; and evaluating the swing group by comparing a set target value and the analytical value.

(9) Still another aspect of the invention relates to a swing group analysis program causing a computer to execute: calculating an analytical value of a specific item for a swing which belong to a swing group based on an output of an inertia sensor; and evaluating the swing group by comparing a set target value and the analytical value.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a swing group evaluation apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of the swing group evaluation apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart schematically illustrating a swing group analysis method.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a smart phone illustrating a specific example of a screen.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the smart phone illustrating a specific example of a screen.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the smart phone illustrating a specific example of a screen.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to accompany drawings. Note that, the embodiment in the following description is not unjustly limited to the content of the invention described in the appended claims, and it is not limited that not all configurations described in the invention are necessary as means for solving a problem of the invention.

1. Configuration of Swing Group Evaluation Apparatus

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a swing group analysis evaluation apparatus 11 is provided with a sensor device 12 and a host terminal 13. The sensor device 12 is mounted on a bat 14 of, for example, a base ball or a softball. The sensor device 12 is attached to a grip end 14a of the bat 14 by a mount member 15. The mount member 15 is preferable to formed of, for example, a freely expandable material.

The host terminal 13 is formed of, for example, a smart phone 16. The smart phone 16 is provided with a display panel 17. A surface of the display panel 17 is overlapped with a touch screen panel 18 as an input unit. A user can confirm an evaluation result of a swing group in accordance with a display of the display panel 17. In the same way, the user can input various instructions and conditions in accordance with an operation of the touch screen panel 18. In addition, it is possible to use a tablet PC terminal, a note PC terminal, and a desk top PC terminal in the host terminal 13.

The sensor device 12 is wirelessly connected to communicate with the smart phone 16, for example. It is possible to use, for example, Bluetooth (a trade mark) in wireless communication. In this way, a detection signal of the sensor device 12 is supplied to the smart phone 16.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the sensor device 12 is provided with an inertia sensor 21. The inertia sensor 21 includes an acceleration sensor and a gyrossensor. The acceleration sensor can detect acceleration in each of three axial directions which are perpendicular to one another. The gyroseonsor can individually detect angular velocity around each of the three axes which are perpendicular to one another. The inertia sensor 21 outputs the detection signal. The detection signal specifies inertia quantity. That is, the acceleration and the angular velocity for each axis are specified by the detection signal.

The sensor device 12 includes a data processing unit 22. The data processing unit 22 is connected to the inertia sensor 21. The detection signal is supplied to the data processing unit 22 from the inertia sensor 21. The detection signal is processed in the data processing unit 22 and then converted into a signal which is suitable for communication. For example, an analog signal is converted into a digital signal.

The sensor device 12 includes a communication unit 23. The communication unit 23 is connected to the data processing unit 22. The detection signal which is processed in the data processing unit 22 is supplied to the communication unit 23. The communication unit 23 wirelessly outputs the detection signal according to a determined communication protocol.

The host terminal 13 includes a processing unit 25. The processing unit 25 is formed of, for example, a CPU. The processing unit 25 is connected to a communication unit 26. The communication unit 26 is capable of wirelessly exchanging signals with the communication unit 23 of the sensor device 12. In this way, the processing unit 25 can process an output signal of the sensor device 12. Although not shown, the display panel 17 and the touch screen panel 18 are connected to the processing unit 25. The processing unit 25 can output a processing result to the display panel 17, and execute an operation which is determined according to manipulation of the touch screen panel 18.

The processing unit 25 is connected to a memory unit such as a read only memory (ROM) 27, a random access memory (RAM) 28, and a nonvolatile memory 29. The processing unit 25 uses the ROM 27, the RAM 28, and the nonvolatile memory 29 so as to process the signal. A swing group evaluation software program and relevant data are stored in the ROM 27. The processing unit 25 realizes a swing group analysis method by executing the swing group analysis software program. For example, in order to execute the swing group analysis method, the swing group analysis software program is temporarily stored in the RAM 28. It is possible to store a program and data, which have relatively small capacity, such as a basic input/output system (BIOS) in the nonvolatile memory 29.

The processing unit 25 is provided with a data acquisition unit 31, a swing analysis unit 32, and a swing evaluation unit 33. The data acquisition unit 31 acquires output data of the sensor device 12 which is received via the communication unit 26. The data acquisition unit 31 stores the acquired output data in the RAM 28, for example. The output data is stored in the RAM 28 in time series.

The swing analysis unit 32 calculates swing analysis information based on the output data which is obtained by the data acquisition unit 31. The analysis information includes an analytical value in each item for the swing. A swing speed, a swing time, a radius of rotation of the grip, an angle of the bat 14, a rotation angle of the bat 14, and the like are included in the item. The swing speed specifies a head speed of the bat 14. The swing time specifies a time which has elapsed since an end of the previous swing to an end of the current swing. The radius of rotation of the grip specifies a rotating track radius of the grip end 14a. The angle of the bat 14 specifies an inclination angle of the bat 14 with respect to a horizontal surface. The rotation angle of the bat 14 specifies the rotation angle of the bat 14 around a rotation axis (a user's body) of the swing. Among these items, at least one item may be calculated, or all of the items maybe calculated. The swing analysis information which is obtained in this way is specified based on the track or posture of the bat 14 during the swing. A signal which specifies an analytical value is output to, for example, the RAM 28 from the swing analysis unit 32. The swing analysis information is preferably stored in, for example, the RAM 28 for the swing.

The swing evaluation unit 33 executes the collective analysis as an aggregate of a plurality of swings, that is, a swing group. In order to execute the analysis, the swing evaluation unit 33 specifies a target value for each item of the swing analysis information. The swing evaluation unit 33 acquires a signal which specifies the target value of the item. The target value is preferably stored in the RAM 28 in advance. Here, the target value is preferably set by the designation of the user based on the manipulation of the touch screen panel 18.

The swing evaluation unit 33 compares the analytical value with the target value for the swing. In order to compare the analytical value with the target value, the swing evaluation unit 33 receives a signal which specifies the analytical value from the RAM 28. Thus, it is evaluated whether or not the analytical value reaches the target value for the swing. The swing evaluation unit 33 specifies the ratio of the swings that have reached the target value, in the swing group. The degree of target achievement is evaluated in accordance with the ratio.

2. Operation of Swing Group Evaluation Apparatus According to First Embodiment

In order to a practice swing of the bat 14, a user attaches the sensor device 12 to the bat 14. The sensor device 12 is fixed to the grip end 14a of the bat 14. The user manipulates the touch screen panel 18 according to, for example, a display on the display panel 17 and starts the swing group analysis software program. In this way, the swing group analysis method is executed.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, when swing group analysis software program is started, the user is prompted to select items in step S1. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, items which are supposed to a target of the degree of achievement are arranged on the screen of the display panel 17. For example, one or more of items are selected from the swing speed, the swing time, the radius of rotation of the grip, the angle of the bat 14, the rotation angle of the bat 14. The user sets a target value for each item which is selected in step S2. For example, as the swing speed, the head speed is set to be several km per hour, for example. The target value of the head speed provides standard of the ball-hitting strength. The swing time is set in the unit of seconds. The target value of the swing time provides a standard pace of the practice swing. The radius of rotation of the grip is set a distance between a grip and a rotation center when to be several cm, for example. The target value of the radius of rotation of the grip provides standard for determining whether the swing is compact or large. The angle of the bat 14 is set to be several degrees, for example. The target value of the angle of the bat 14 provides standard for example, “the head is upright” or “the head is flat”. The rotation angle of the bat 14 is set to be several degrees, for example. The rotation angle of the bat 14 provides standard of a full swing and a half swing. When setting the above conditions, the user manipulates, for example, the touch screen panel 18. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a blank prompting the input is displayed on the display panel 17. Each of the target values is stored in, for example, the RAM 28. When the setting of the target value is completed, the processing unit 25 instructs start of measurement of the inertia sensor 21 in step S3. The inertia sensor 21 starts measurement.

In the practice swing, taking a pose and the swing at a hitting place are repeated. During the practice swing, the detection signal is output from the inertia sensor 21. When the user takes a pose, the “pose” is specified in the detection signal of the inertia sensor 21. In typical cases, it is recognized that the “pose” is in a stationary state of the grip. When the user swings the bat 14, the detection signal of the inertia sensor 21 changes. In the detection signal, the acceleration other than the gravity acceleration is detected and a change of the angular velocity is specified. The data processing unit 22 processes the detection signal. The processed detection signal is transmitted to the host terminal 13 from the communication unit 23.

In step S4, the communication unit 26 of the host terminal 13 receives a signal. The data acquisition unit 31 acquires output data of the sensor device 12. The output data is stored in the RAM 28 in time series.

In step S5, the swing analysis unit 32 calculates the analytical values of, for the swing, the swing speed, the swing time, the radius of rotation of the grip, the angle of the bat 14, and the rotation angle of the bat 14. Here, the analytical value may be calculated in the selected item. The calculated analytical value is output from the swing analysis unit 32. The analytical value is stored in the RAM 28.

It is determined whether or not the practice swing is completed in step S6. If the practice swing is completed, the inertia sensor 21 completes the measurement. If the practice swing is not completed, the inertia sensor 21 continuously performs the measurement. Again, the “pose” is specified in the detection signal of the inertia sensor 21. Until the practice swing is completed, the process afterward is repeated. Even during the practice swing, the inertia sensor 21 can complete the measurement through the manipulation of the touch screen panel 18 by the user.

When the inertia sensor 21 completes the measurement, the swing evaluation unit 33 executes the analysis of the swing group. The analysis is preferably started in accordance with the manipulation of the touch screen panel 18 by the user, for example. In order to perform the analysis of the swing group, the swing evaluation unit 33 acquires the target value and an analytical value for the swing from the RAM 28 in step S7. The swing evaluation unit 33 compares the target value and an analytical value in step S8. In this way, the comparison is executed for each swing, and the swing evaluation unit 33 counts the swings having analytical values which are greater than the target value. When the comparison for the entire swings is completed in step S9, the ratio of the analytical values, which are greater than the target value, with respect to the entire number of swings is calculated in step S10. The degree of target achievement is evaluated by the swing group in accordance with the ratio. In this way, the entire of the swing groups is evaluated. The collective analysis is realized as the swing group. The evaluation result is displayed on the display panel 17, for example. The evaluation result of the swing group is notified to the user.

For example, when the swing speed is selected as the item, the ratio in which the swings correspond to the ball-hitting strength which is equal to or greater than the target strength is evaluated. When the swing time is selected as the item, it is evaluated how long or how many times the user takes brake during the practice swing. When the radius of rotation of the grip is selected as the item, the ratio in which the compact swings are achieved is evaluated. When the angle of the bat 14 is selected as the item, the ratio of the heads lies is evaluated. When the rotation angle of the bat 14 is selected as the item, the ratio of the full swings is evaluated. In this way, the entirety of swing groups is evaluated based on the ratio of the swings that have reached the target value.

3. Operation of Swing Group Evaluation Apparatus According to Second Embodiment

The swing group evaluation unit 33 may specify a total sum of scores by giving the score to the swing in accordance with good or bad of indexes (a degree of achievement with respect to the target value) which are imparted for the swing so as to indicate the degree of achievement with respect to the target value. For example, in a case where the target value of the swing time is set to be 3 seconds, the swing evaluation unit 33 may impart 20 points to the swing time within 3 seconds, impart 5 points to the swing time within 10 seconds, and impart 1 point to the swing time which exceeds 10 seconds. In this way, the swing is evaluated in accordance with the degree of achievement in stages. The entirety of swing groups are specifically evaluated.

4. Operation of Swing Group Evaluation Apparatus According to Other Embodiments

In the swing group evaluation apparatus 11, a specific aggregate of swings maybe selected in the swing group. At this time, the user is preferable to select a specific swing through the manipulation of the touch screen panel 18 with respect to the swing evaluation unit 33. When a corresponding signal is input to the swing evaluation unit 33 from the touch screen panel 18, the swing evaluation unit 33 executes evaluation of the degree of target achievement by the specific aggregate of swings which is designated as above. In this way, the touch screen panel 18 can induce the evaluation of the degree of target achievement by the specific aggregate of swings which is designated as above. It is possible to execute the evaluation of the swing group regarding to a desired aggregate of swings.

The swing group evaluation apparatus 11 may evaluate whether or not the swing has reached the target value. At this time, the user is preferable to designate a specific swing through the manipulation of the touch screen panel 18 with respect to the swing evaluation unit 33. It is possible to notify the user of the evaluation of the swing in accordance with the designation.

As described above, in the swing group evaluation apparatus 11, the target value may be input thereto from the touch screen panel 18, and the swing evaluation unit 33 may set the target value in accordance with the evaluation of the swing group. When the swing which has achieved the target value exceeds a certain ratio (for example, 90%), the target value may be set to be higher. With this, it is possible for the user to continuously improve swing skill. In contrast, when the target value is lower than the low ratio of the swings which have achieved the target value (for example, 30%), the target value may be lowered. In this way, the next evaluation is enhanced, and thus it is possible to contribute to maintaining motivation. In addition, the target value may be set in accordance with an expected achievement rate (a ratio of the swings which have achieved the target value in the swing group).

Meanwhile, the embodiment is described in detail as above, but those skilled in the art can easily understand that various modifications which do not substantially depart from new matters and advantages of the invention are possible. Therefore, all such Modification Examples are included in the invention. For example, in the specification or drawings, at least once, terms listed together with different terms having broader or the same meaning can be replaced with different terms in any place in the specification or drawings. In addition, configurations and operations of the sensor device 12, the host terminal 13, the mount member 15, the smart phone 16, the display panel 17, the touch screen panel 18, or the like can be modified in various ways without being limited to the description of the embodiments.

The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-207372, filed Oct. 8, 2014 is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A swing group analysis apparatus comprising: a swing analysis unit which calculates an analytical value of a specific item for a swing which belong to a swing group based on an output of an inertia sensor; and an evaluation unit which evaluates the swing group by comparing a set target value and the analytical value.
 2. The swing group analysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit specifies a ratio of the swings that have reached the target value, in the swing group.
 3. The swing group analysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit imparts a score for the swing with respect to the target value in accordance with a degree of achievement.
 4. The swing group analysis apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the evaluation unit calculates a total sum of the score which is imparted for each swing.
 5. The swing group analysis apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit which outputs an evaluation result of the swing group.
 6. The swing group analysis apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit which inputs the target value.
 7. The swing group analysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit updates the target value in accordance with an evaluation of the swing group.
 8. A swing group analysis method comprising: calculating an analytical value of a specific item for a swing which belong to a swing group based on an output of an inertia sensor; and evaluating the swing group by comparing a set target value and the analytical value.
 9. The swing group analysis method according to claim 8, wherein in the evaluating, in the swing group, a ratio of the swings that have reached the target value is specified.
 10. The swing group analysis method according to claim 8, wherein in the evaluating, a score is imparted to the swing with respect to the target value in accordance with a degree of achievement.
 11. The swing group analysis method according to claim 10, wherein in the evaluating, a total sum of the score which is imparted for each swing is calculated.
 12. The swing group analysis method according to claim 8, further comprising outputting an evaluation result of the swing group.
 13. The swing group analysis method according to claim 8, further comprising inputting the target value.
 14. The swing group analysis method according to claim 8, wherein in the evaluating, the target value is updated in accordance with the evaluation of the swing group. 